State pupils from poorer homes do best in capital

Friday 16 December 2011 10:59 BST

State school pupils from poor backgrounds do better in London than in other parts of Britain despite high deprivation in the capital, new research reveals today.

The study shows that nearly half of children brought up in the capital's poorest homes still manage to gain five GCSEs - more than double the success rate of the next best region. In the best state schools, poor pupils are "over-achieving" by more than 40 per cent.

Researchers say good teaching could explain the success of London pupils. Another reason is the influence of highly motivated Chinese and Asian parents, whose children tend to succeed regardless of their income background.

However, the findings also reveal poor white children are failing to share in the success.The report by think tank CentreForum, is based on analysis of the Government's National Pupil Database, and official measures of poverty.

Together they cover more than 600,000 pupils. The figures come a day after the publication of government statistics showing that 25 per cent of children leaving London primary schools have failed to reach level 4 - the grade expected of them - in both English and maths.

But the CentreForum report shows that, taking all social groups into account, London pupils perform fractionally better than those elsewhere with 50 per cent gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, compared with 48 per cent figure outside the capital.

When poverty is taken into account, the success rate in London - which contains 40 per of the children from the bottom fifth of English households - is significantly greater than elsewhere with 45 per cent of pupils gaining five or more "good" GCSEs.

Yorkshire, the next best region, is way behind on 20 per cent. Redbridge, where poor pupils "over-achieve" by 22 per cent on average when their backgrounds are taken into account, is the most successful borough. Westminster, with a 21 per cent improvement rate is ranked second. Tower Hamlets and Newham are also in the top 10.

Schools that do particularly well include Hackney's Mossbourne Academy, which has a 48 per cent "over-achievement" rate. St Angela's Ursuline in Newham also scores more than 40 per cent.

The report concludes: "Pupils of all types, including the poorest pupils and those from typically under-performing ethnic groups, perform better in London than in all other regions of the UK."

Most improved

Mossbourne Academy Hackney 48%

St Angela's Ursuline School Newham 41%

St Ursula's Convent School Greenwich 32%

St Aloysius RC CollegeIslington 32%

Ashcroft Technology AcademyWandsworth 31%

Prendergast-Hilly Fields College Lewisham 30%

Beal High School Redbridge 29%

The Green School Hounslow 29%

Central Foundation Boys' School Islington 27%

St Gregory RC High School Brent 24%

Improvement rate calculated by comparing pupils' predicted achievements at the age of five with their GCSE results at 16